Aerial photographic apparatus



(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 1.

W. A. EDDY.

AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHIO APPARATUS.

No. 578,980. Patented Mar. 16, 1897 mag 58858.- y

ATTORNEYS.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

' W. A. EDDY.

AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHIG APPARATUS.

No. 578,980. Patented Mar. 16, 1897.

I/VVE/VTOR X& @07 Br ATTORNEYS.

UNrTEn STATEs PATENT OEEicE.

VILLIAM A. EDDY, OF BAYONNE, NEW JERSEY.

AERlAL PHOTOGRAA EHO AFPf-ii-RRTU SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent No. 578,980, dated March 16, 1897.

Application filed November 2 1, 1896. Serial No. 613,302. (No model.)

T0 in whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, lVILLIAM A. EDDY, of Bayonne, in the county ofHudson and State of New Jersey, have invented new and usef ulImprovements in Aerial Photographic Apparatus, of which the following isa full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to devices or apparatus designed to be secured toa kite-string and to support one or more photographic cameras, wherebynegatives of the surroundin gs may be taken at a great altitude.

I will describe an apparatus embodying my invention, and then point outthe novel features in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a device embodying my invention andshowing the same as attached to a kite-string. Fig. 2 is a perspectiveview of a device of somewhat modified construction. Fig. 3 is a sectionthrough the line 3 3 of Fig. 1 and d *awn on an enlarged scale. 4. is aplan view showing another modification. Fig. 5 is a section through theline 5 5 of Fig. 4; and Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6 6 of Fig. at,showing a camera-holder employed.

Referring first to the example of my improvement shown in Figs. 1 and 3,1 designates a platform mounted to rotate on the lower end of a hanger2, the upper end of which is designed for connection with thekite-string 3. From the lower end of the hanger 2 and below the platform1 a boom 4 extends at right angles and has its end connected to thekite-string. This boom extends forward underneath the platform 1, and toits forward end is attached a cross-bar 5, from the ends of whichbrace-cords 6 extend upward to a connection with the upper end of thehanger 2.

Mounted on the platform 1 is a camera holder 7. As here shown, thiscamera-holder has a hinge connection at its front end with the platform1, and at its rear end it is provided with a lug 8, having ascrew-threaded aperture through which an adj Listing-screw 9 may passand impinge upon the platform. Obviously by means of this screw 9 anydesired angle may be given to the camera-holder. The platform 1 may berotated to face the camera in any desired direction and held as adjustedby means of a screw-operated clamp 10 on the boom 4.. Of course thisadjustment will be made before the kite is set free.

in the example shown in Fig. 2 the platform 11 is rigidly attached tothe boom 4, but to hold said platform in a desired position for pointingthe camera I employ a brace-bar 12, attached at one end to the end ofthe boom and at the other end to the kitestring 3.

The devices as so far described are intended to support one camera only.In Figs. at and 5, however, I have shown a series of cameia-holdersmounted on a single platform, and of course variously pointed. In thisexample the platform 13 is rigidly mounted on the boom *1, and theseveral camera-holders 7 are pivoted at their front ends to saidplatform. Pivotally connected to the rear end of each camera-holder is acurved bar 14:, projected through an opening in the platform and movablebetween cheek-pieces 15, through a tapped hole in one of which asetscrew 16 extends and is designed to impinge upon the curved bar 1t tohold the cameraholder as adjusted. By this arrangement thecamera-holders may be so adjusted as to point a camera directlydownward, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 5. The cameraholder is ofa box-like construction and of a size to snugly receive the camera 16.The front of the holder '7 has an opening through which the lens-tube 17may project.

The means here shown for operating the camera-sh utter button consistsof an arm 18, hinged at one end to the top of the cameraholder andextended across said holder and over the shutter operating button 19, extended upward through an opening in the top of the holder. he arm 18 isheld normally out of engagement with the button 19 by means of a spring20, secured at one end to the top of the holder 7 and at the other endconnected with the arm. From the free end of the arm 18 a pull-string 21extends downward through a central opening in the platform. Of coursethis string 21 will be of course where there are a series ofcameraholders on a platform the several strings 21 extended therefromwill be connected to gether and attached to a single cord or string 22.

In operation,wl1en akite shall have reached the desired elevation, bydrawing downward on the pull-string 21 the shutter of the camera will beoperated so as to make the exposure, and obviously with the device shownin Fi 4 the several camera-shutters will be simultaneously operated. Itwill be seen that this arrangement will be of great utility in takingpictures of the surrounding territory, and it may also be used 011shipboard for locating vessels beyond the horizon or that cannot be seenfrom the deck of a Vessel or from its lookout.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. In aerial photography, the combination with a kiteand kite-string, ot' aphotographie camera supported by the string belowthe kite, and means for holding the camera to point in any desireddirection relatively to the sailing direction of the kite, substantiallyas specified.

2. The combination with a kite and kitestring, of a hanger dependingfrom the kitestring, a boom extended from the lower portion of saidhanger to the kite-string, a platform supported by the hanger, and meansfor supporting a camera on the platform, substantially as specified.

3. An aerial photographic apparatus, comprising a hanger adapted to besecured to a kite-string, a boom extended from said hanger and adaptedfor connection to a kite-string, a platform mounted to rotate relativelyto the hanger, means for securing the platform as adjusted, and a cameraheld adjustably mounted on the platform, substantially as specified.

4:. An aerial photographic apparatus, comprising a hanger adapted forconnection with a kite-string, a boom extended from the lower portion ofsaid hanger and adapted for connection with a kite-string, a platformsup ported bythe hanger, a camera-holdermounted on said platform, andmeans for operating maeeo the shutter of a camera in the holder,substantially as specified.

An aerial photographic apparatus, comprising a hanger adapted to beattached to a kite-string, a boom extended from the lower portion ofsaid hanger and adapted for connection with the kite-string, a platformsup ported by said hanger, a camera-holder of box-like constructionhaving a hinge connection at its front end with the platform, means forVertically adjusting the rear end of the holder, and means for operatingthe shutter of a camera in the holder, substantially as specifie 6. Anaerial photographic apparatus, comprising a hanger adapted forconnection with a kite-string, a boom extended from the lower end ofsaid hanger and adapted for connection withv the kite string, a platformsupported by the hanger, a camera-holder of box-like construction havinghinge connection with the platform, means for elevating the rear end ofthe cameradiolder, a hinged arm extended over said. camera-holder andadapted to engage the shutteroperatin button of a camera in the holder,and a string extended from said arm, substantially as specified.

'7. An aerial photographic apparatus, comprising a hanger adapted forengagement with a kite-string, a platform supported by said hanger, aseries of camera-holders mounted on said platform and pointed in variousdirections, and means for simultaneously operating the shutters of thecameras in the several holders, substantially as specified.

8. [in aerial photographic apparatus, comprising a hanger adapted to besecured to a kite-string, a boom extended from the lower end of saidhanger and adapted for connection with the kite-string, a cross-bar onthe front end of said boom, braces extended from the ends of saidcross-bar to a connection with the hanger, a platform supported by thehanger, and a camera-holder on the said platform, substantially asspecified.

WILLIAM A. E DDY.

Witnesses:

JNo. M. ltrr'rnn, C. R. FERGUSON.

